114 



SMITHSONIAN ISriSCEFJ.ANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 'J2 



on the west was an earth circle which prohalily outhned the ruins of 

 the town house. At the center of this sacred structure, on the unique 

 black glossy floor, an ancient altar (fig. 130) was found. It was still 

 filled with the pure white ashes of what had once been the sacred fire. 



Fic. 128. — Child's grave after removal of infiltrated soil, 

 before disturbing mortuary vessels. 



This altar was carefully preserved and is now in the Bureau of 

 Ethnology. The Gordon site is of much interest because here we 

 have an ancient Indian village just as the original inhabitants left it. 



The Fewkes Grdlp 

 Mr. j\Iyer also partially explored an unnamed Indian village group 

 at Boiling Spring Academy in Williamson County, Tenn. At the 



